But Schumer, in a statement issued to the media, said the FDA will rule that caffeine is an unsafe additive to alcoholic beverages,
effectively banning them from the U.S. market.

It's an unsafe additive TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

It is not just an "unsafe additive" like you claim, and then foolishly joke about removing caffeine in safe products. You can't forget the "to
alcoholic beverages" part just to support your misleading view.

I have read several of your topics and you constantly use only the sources which have taken words out of context to support your agenda. When you
are confronted about the out of context remarks you always backpedal and blame it on the source and say, "I was just quoting the source". Are you
going to do that now?

"Let these rulings serve as a warning to anyone who tried to peddle dangerous and toxic brews to our children. Do it and we will shut you down,"
Schumer, D-New York, said in the statement.

With a reputation for mixing well with vodka, the drink that claims to "give you wings" may also be a contributing factor in several alcohol-related
deaths.

"A high level of caffeine is a tremendous "upper" or stimulant to the central nervous system, while alcohol is a "downer" or depressant. When high
levels of these two are ingested together, the body doesn"t know what to do the two do not cross each other out to become neutral. The net result can
be heart failure," Sandretto said.

Mixing powerful stimulants contained in some energy drinks with depressants in alcohol could cause cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular failures, said
David Pearson, a researcher in the Human Performance Laboratory.

They moved quickly after the news story that showed nine college students from Washington were rushed to the hospital after a night of drinking Four
Loko, one of the most popular brands of caffeine based alcoholic beverages.

Mnemeth1, are supporting the sale of drinks that kill people? Do you support the ability for cooperations to market and sell drinks that can kill you
on the spot? It sure seems like it...

Originally posted by mnemeth1The actual reason behind the ban has nothing to do with "consumer safety" - and everything to do with
keeping alcohol production cartelized.

How did you come up with the reasoning of this "ban"?

I've heard crazy stories about "Four Loko's". Kids in high school are drinking these like kool-aid, and some are dying. Well that's what I've
read, I personally have just heard stories about a handful of local kids blacking out, some almost dying and going to the emergency room.

Not sure how true it is, but I believe that more than it having everything to do with keeping alcohol production "cartelized". Kids are dumb, they
don't know how to pace themselves when it comes to drinking. They are the WORST at it.

I feel your passion for this topic, but I don't think there's a coffee stout anywhere that has a much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Although brewers
will use a good amount of strongly brewed coffee or even coffee grounds, it's not nearly the amount to make the caffeine content of 1 cup of drip.

As noted in this space this summer, there's an unusual lager beer in this market that contains as much caffeine as a cup of coffee -- 69
milligrams -- called Moonshot, made by New Century Brewing Co. of Hingham, Mass.

Like many coffee beers, Twisted pine uses a cold brewing process, which means the coffee is both much stronger than drip coffee, lower the acid,
bitterness and tannins of regular hot drip. They take this strong coffee base and double filter it - then add into the already processed stout beer.
Espresso Stout

Labatt's Shok
This is the newest brand of caffeinated beer on the market, and it is a potent brew. Not only does Kick have 60mg of caffeine, it also has a high
alcohol content of 6.9% in a smaller 250mL bottle. There are so-called "berry aromas" added as well, making for an unusual flavor that you might not
expect in a beer.

Molson's Kick
Molson's entry is a lager, with 55mg of caffeine added. There are no extra flavours added, so you might not even notice any difference between this
and a regular beer. Though you will notice the funky aluminum beer bottles that you will get when you order at the local bar. Retail purchases are in
traditional glass. Kick has a bit less alcohol than Shok, at a modest 5%.

Anheueser-Busch's BE
This brand name is read "B to the E", where the E stands for Extra. BE is a sweet/tart and berry-flavored brew, that has not only guarana for caffeine
but also ginseng. A can of BE will net you 54mg of caffeine and 6.6% alcohol content.

Geez, the more I look the more ridiculous this measure looks. I didnt think that was possible

edit on 17-11-2010 by thisguyrighthere
because: adding even more examples

First of all, alcohol is best taken in moderation. I don't see you citing any story where an average sized adult human was killed by one or two of
these drinks.

Second of all, as much as I'd hate to defend Mnemeth1, the truth is, it isn't up to the government whether or not I can harm myself in the pursuit
of happiness...or it SHOULDN'T be, anyway.

Besides, the argument being made for giving these people more power is pretty ridiculous when you consider they're also the ones knowingly
fluoridating the water and allowing RX drugs to be pushed on increasingly dangerous levels.

People need to be responsible for themselves. If I drink a wicked cocktail of uppers and downers and it kills me - well, it's nobody's fault but my
own. Why? Because I'm adult human being capable of determining what I put in my own body. Should we protect children? By all means. But, such drinks
are illegal for kids ALREADY. If they obtain said drinks, THEN there should be others held accountable. I just can't support any argument that
attempts to make a case for some other person or entity being considered reasonably more sound than MYSELF when it comes to determining what I can or
can't do to MYSELF.

FDA is issuing Warning Letters to four manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages. All of these products are alcoholic malt beverages to which
caffeine has been directly added as an ingredient. The manufacturers and their products are: ...New Century Brewing Company, LLC, which makes
“Moonshot;”

Caffeine is added to Moonshot and is not part of the naturally occurring caffeine content of coffee. This is one of the beverages that was
warned.

Honestly, if idiots want to kill themselves with vodkas and redbulls, they can go right ahead, and I have no problems with industry selling them it
either. In fact, I think there's a huge un-tapped market.... heroin pops, brownies and cookies, scooby snax, etc. Let them have it... when the ill
effects of their unbridled drug use become apparent more quickly under such conditions, they will serve as a deterrent to the general populace. This
is why places that have legit drugs have less use and abuse.

I'm tired of the government claiming authority over my food and drink. I should be-able to eat what I like, and buy it from wherever I want, without
their involvement. Food is life to me, and therefore, it is foolish to desire food that is controlled by single entity or small grouping of entities.
Food being freely grown, and traded for at farmers markets should never go away. I'd rather take my chances than have to be forced to be dependent
on the government nanny-state. Revolution soon will free us from this tyranny.

Why can't both sides be right? Both the FDA and the alcoholic energy drink producers have their own interests at heart; the FDA with all the
aforementioned bans other posters referenced, and the alcoholic energy drink producers being very popular [and profitable] among college and high
school level populations.

Can't this be a win against a big corp taking advantage of young adults and a finally a good move on the FDA's part, without taking their other
interests in mind?

It doesn't say ANYWHERE on ANY of the beverages that it is harmful to drink high amounts of alcohol with high amounts of caffeine.

When you see it in a store, it looks like just another energy drink... people who know nothing about the effects or dangers will buy it, get killed,
and people will ask the FDA why they allowed such a deadly drink to exist...

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